Breathe
by writer-person2
Summary: Doing gym exercises soon turns into a struggle for survival for Double D when he is pushed too hard by an aggressive gym teacher who seems to have a strange vendetta against him.


_Author's note: This story takes place when the Eds are around 15, so there's a bit of swearing towards the end._

 _Disclaimer: Ed Edd n Eddy belongs to Danny Antonucci._

* * *

Dodgeballs were flying by in every direction at a high speed. Two sounds filled the room, increasing my apprehension. The sound of classmates laughing and taunting us, and that of an angry gym teacher whose screams pierced my eardrums at a volume which I was 99 percent sure was over 85 decibels.

"EDDWARD!" Make that 100 percent.

It seemed as if my worst fears were becoming a reality today. I only hoped that the damage done to my auditory nerves (controlling my hearing abilities) wasn't permanent.

Despite my overwhelming panic, I was vaguely aware of the fact that my gym teacher was calling my name again. Now, usually I would never choose to ignore or disrespect a teacher; however, considering the fact that at the moment I was busy cowering in the corner of the school's gymnasium with many of my peers throwing dodgeballs in the direction of my two companions and I, I believe that in this case, I had good reason to ignore my gym instructor's shouting voice.

He called my name again, and this time I was tempted to acknowledge him.

Unfortunately, I couldn't.

The gymnasium had been divided into two sides. One team of students resided on one side of the room while the other team was on the other side (as we were following the traditional rules of dodgeball, with the exception that students must remain in the game even after being hit, due to our small class size). My team consisted of myself, along with my two best friends, Ed and Eddy. The opposing team consisted of, well, everyone else. All other residents of the Cul-de-sac (except for Sarah and Jimmy, who are in a lower grade), along with the Kanker sisters. Though it seemed a bit unfair that my team was outnumbered, with 3 vs. 7 other students, I chose not to argue with my teacher's logic in order to avoid disrespecting an adult.

Speaking of which, he still seemed to be calling my name.

At the moment, I was curled up in a fetal position with my head hidden by my legs, and as much as I would love to acknowledge my teacher (as any respectful student should), I was too afraid to look up. The moment I did, I would be in danger of being attacked by one of the many dodgeballs being fired in my direction. Fortunately, I had yet to be hit due to the fact that my kind, loyal companion, Ed, has chosen to serve as a shield by standing right in front of me, protecting me from any harm.

Unfortunately, this didn't stop me from being afraid. Ever since I was a child, I've been terrified of dodgeball. No other sport. Only dodgeball. It's a fear that was caused by a traumatic childhood incident, which I would rather not discuss at this moment. Or any moment, really. Just thinking about what happened the last time I was forced to participate in this horrifying game causes a shiver to run up my spine...

But now?

Now, I was reliving the experience.

I was shaking uncontrollably due to fear. With every bouncy weapon of death that came flying in my direction at the speed of a bullet, a small gasp was emitted from my weak lungs, making it hard for me to breathe.

I was completely terrified.

"EDDWARD!" I flinched as I heard the gym instructor shout my name again. Our gym teacher was a tall, muscular man, who was easily intimidating. Especially due to the aggressive tone that his voice often harbored. Because of this, I wasn't sure if I was more terrified of him or dodgeball...

He called my name again, and I almost looked up.

Almost.

Well, I suppose my question has been answered because I was still too afraid of dodgeball to acknowledge my teacher.

This entire situation felt so wrong...Not only was I being forced to relive a traumatic childhood event, but I was also disrespecting a teacher. Oh, when will this horrid activity come to an end?

I hear the sharp sound of a whistle being blown, cutting off all other sounds of commotion in the room.

"Game over!" My gym teacher announced. Ah, my prayers have been answered. I sighed in relief as I opened my eyes for the first time since the game began. It was quite relieving to be able to see the light again after being in such a dark, terrifying situation for what felt like an eternity...but was most likely only an hour.

I stood up from the ground and walked over to stand near my two fellow Eds, while the other children of the Cul-de-sac chatted excitedly, amongst themselves. As I came closer to my friends, the sound of Eddy mumbling angrily to himself entered my ears, and I noticed that he's acquired a black eye. I began to sweat a bit, out of guilt.

 _'Perhaps, he wouldn't have gotten injured during the game if I had been brave enough to at least try to participate in the barbaric activity.'_ I thought to myself.

I considered apologizing, but before I was able to decide on whether doing so was really necessary or not, I was pushed out of my thoughts by the sound of my gym teacher calling my name, yet again. This time, he walked over in my direction, while doing so. I was finally about to respond when I was interrupted by my two comrades.

"What, coach?" Eddy said, acknowledging the fact that our gym teacher was also the football coach.

"Yes, mommy?" Eddy and I took a moment to stare at Ed in confusion. How anyone could ever mistake an aggressive, male gym teacher for their mother is beyond my understanding...

"Not you two!" the teacher bellowed before roughly poking my chest " _You!_ "

For a moment, I was tempted to point out the fact that it was unnecessary for him to poke me to get his point across because A) I was already aware that he was addressing me, specifically, and B) That actually hurt a bit... but I decided against it after I reminded myself that A) He is a highly intimidating, aggressive individual, and B) He is already very angry with me, and not without good reason. Speaking of which, I really ought to apologize.

"My sincerest apologies, sir. I never intended to ignore or disrespect-"

"What's wrong with you, maggot? You gone deaf or something?!"

"N-no, sir" I stammered as my apprehension grew "I simply-"

"You simply what? Were you too busy relaxing out there to address your teacher?!"

"W-well, sir-"

"And what makes you think you can just go out there and relax while everyone else in class has to participate?"

Oh.

That's why he's upset.

Well...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised considering that my refusal to participate in the terrifying sport could be seen as a form of negligence against the instructor's teaching methods. I really should apologize again. It's appalling to think of how disrespectfully I've behaved today.

"Sir, I am honestly, truly sorry for my reprehensible behavior as of today. I implore your forgiveness, as it was wrong of me to not participate during-"

"Just shut up, maggot!"

"B-but..." my voice quivered in a mix of fear and guilt.

"I said shut up! Are you deaf?!" Strange...did he not want an apology...? Either way, I'd still like to give him one... It's obvious that he's still quite angry with me, and I'd like to quell his frustration. I honestly do feel guilty for my atrocious behavior earlier.

...But the way he was glaring at me now...his teeth grit, his face red from his fury, and his eyes narrowed as he looked down upon me, his gaze never wavering...It was enough to make me gulp, swallowing down whatever pathetic apology I had been about to give him.

I began to shiver in fear again. When the instructor saw this, he grinned, deviously, as if satisfied by my fear before finally turning his gaze away from me. He walked away, and my two friends came to stand next to me, each on a different side, putting me in the middle. As the gym instructor continued to walk away, I found myself glancing nervously in his direction, sweat dripping from my face. I couldn't help but worry that he was still very upset with me. Ed must have noticed this because he began to pat the top of my head, softly, through means of comfort.

"Awww, don't worry, Double D. Mr. Gym teacher just needs a hug!" I smiled at my friend's attempt to cheer me up. If only it really were that simple. Unfortunately, hugging my gym teacher would most likely only further-Wait! Wait, what did...did Ed just call him 'Mr. Gym teacher'...?! I was about to correct him, concerning the name of our instructor when I was interrupted.

"Hug nothin'!" Eddy began, anger in his voice. "I swear, that guy's always had it out for ya', Double D!" Oy...not this again.

Ever since this school year began, since we began to have gym classes taught by this particular instructor, Eddy had been theorizing that our instructor held some sort of twisted grudge against me. Why, it's simply ridiculous!

"Why, Eddy, that's simply ridiculous!" I said, as I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yeah? Well, explain why he's always trying so hard to make you so miserable! Always yelling at ya' and making you do more work than everyone else," Eddy countered.

In a way, it was true. The part about the teacher encouraging me to do more work than other students was true, anyway; however, I was sure our instructor had valid reasons for doing so.

"I'll have you know that as an instructor, he simply wants what's best for students. He simply has me do a few more push-ups and sit-ups than everyone else, due to the fact that I am...um..." I paused, as I tried to search for the right word to explain my unfortunate situation "... _lacking_ in terms of muscle and physical strength. The instructor only intends to help me improve in terms of-"

"What a load of bull..." Eddy muttered. Now, it was his turn to roll his eyes.

I sighed, as I began to massage my temple with two of my fingers. I wasn't sure whether I was more exasperated by Eddy's use of foul language or by the fact that we had had this argument nearly every time we entered this class. We still had yet to reach a resolution concerning who was right or wrong, considering that these arguments always ended with me sighing, and Eddy muttering to himself in a grumpy manner.

I mean...I knew he only meant well but...he had to understand that our teacher also meant well. Eddy only wanted to diminish my level of pain and fear experienced when in this class, which I deeply appreciated, but it still annoyed me that he would make such a ridiculous assumption concerning our instructor. I mean, he made similar assumptions about every other teacher whenever one decided to give him a detention or an F on an assignment.

 _"I'm telling you guys, that math teacher's out to get me! She almost bored me to death in there!"_

 _"I can't believe that guy gave me a detention! I told ya' he was out to get me, Double D!"_

I shook my head at such memories. As I sigh, I hear Eddy mutter to himself in a grumpy manner. Well, I suppose the argument is over, for now.

"Awww, do you need a hug too, Eddy?" Ed wrapped his arms around Eddy, giving him his signature bear-hug. Eddy growled in annoyance.

I smiled, suppressing the urge to giggle at the sight.

"Let go of me ya'-"

"Listen up, ladies!" I cringed as Eddy was interrupted by the harsh voice of our gym-instructor. Ed released our shorter friend, and we each turned to face the instructor. After gaining everyone's attention, he continued.

"It seems to me that _some_ of the students in this class..." He delivered a threatening, pointed glare in my direction. I gulped. "...are becoming too lazy to participate. For this reason, you will all spend the rest of the class period running ten laps around the gym to motivate certain students to work harder in this class." A collective groan from nearly all students spread throughout the room.

"C'mon, coach" Kevin began in an aggravated tone "We just spent an hour playing dodgeball, and now we're tired. Plus, we only have twenty minutes left of class."

"Yeah" Nazz piped up "Can't we just, like, chill for the rest of the period, like we usually do?"

It was true. Whenever the class had finished an exercise or sport activity, if there wasn't much time left in class, our instructor would let everyone relax for the rest of class. Everyone except me that is. He would often politely ask me to exercise more while the others relaxed.

 _"Everyone can relax now... Except you, Eddward! You do more push-ups! And keep doing them until the end of class, maggot! Maybe then you won't be such a little weakling!"_

I remembered blushing in embarrassment as my fellow students laughed at hearing the teacher announce that I was a 'weakling'. I supposed the term 'politely' is used lightly when I describe my gym teacher's treatment of me.

There were a few "yeahs" heard from other students, who nodded in agreement with Nazz' idea to spend the rest of class in relaxation. Unfortunately, the gym instructor simply shook his head in disagreement before walking in my direction again, stopping right in front of me.

"No! You all must spend the rest of the class period running ten laps, and you have _Eddward_ here..." Here, he poked me painfully in the chest again "...to thank for your punishment."

More groans could be heard. Along with a few shouts of indignation.

"Way to go, Double dweeb!"

"Plank says 'You'll pay for this' Double D!"

"Rolf shall bestow a curse upon the sock-in-head Ed-boy for his crimes against man-kind!"

Guilt began to strongly grip my heart, as I heard the cries of anguish from my innocent classmates. I quickly tried to come up with an argument to reason with our instructor, in order to placate him, and hopefully, the others as well.

"Please, sir!" I pleaded, folding my hands in desperation "With all due respect, the others did nothing wrong! Don't punish them. Punish me! For I was the one to-" But my plea for justice was silenced.

"Quiet, maggot! Geez! First, refusing to participate. Now, talking back to your teacher?! How disrespectful!" He spat.

My head dropped in shame at that word. _Disrespectful._ No teacher had ever before used such a word to describe my behavior. I was so very disappointed in myself...What would mother and father think?

"In fact, why don't we change it from ten laps, and make it fifteen thanks to Eddward!" And just when I was beginning to think it couldn't get any worse. Another collective groan, followed by more cries of anguish, and it almost became too much for me to bare. As I felt myself blush, I pulled my hat down to cover my face. I was overcome by embarrassment and shame.

The instructor directed the other students to the corner of the gym where they were meant to begin each lap. A few students walked past me, muttering insults, and I simply mumbled an apology in reply.

"Oh, what a dark turn of events..." I moaned in anguish.

"Get over it, Hamlet. I told you that guy was out to get ya'."

"Gee, thanks Eddy. Such kind words of comfort..." I muttered sarcastically.

"Look, I'm just saying, that guy's got some kinda weird grudge against you. It's creepy."

"I assure you, Eddy, he has nothing against me. He is simply doing his job by delivering my punishment. I am the one who is at fault for being such a..." I paused, taking a moment to shudder at the next words I would be using to describe myself "... _a disrespectful student._ " I finished in a downtrodden voice.

"I'm telling ya', Sockhead, that guy just hates you. He's trying to ruin your life. It's so obvious! I can't believe that you don't see it! Geez...for someone so smart, you can be so dumb sometimes..."

Hearing that last comment immediately filled me with indignation. He'd struck a chord, insulting my intelligence. I lifted my hat, so that it wasn't covering my face and I could properly glare at Eddy. After doing so, I could tell by the satisfied smirk he was giving me that he'd probably angered me on purpose. Whether his actions were motivated by a desire to receive my full attention, or were an attempt to distract me from my own feelings of dejection, I couldn't tell. Before I could question or argue with Eddy, the gym instructor interrupted me with a loud, harsh yell, causing my comrades and I to flinch.

"Get over here, you three maggots! Don't just stand there! The whole class is waiting for you to come to the starting point! So, quit lollygagging and come on!"

"Hurry it up, dorks! We ain't got all day!" Kevin called.

Hearing Kevin's and our gym instructor's shouting voices reminded me of their anger from earlier.

 _'It seems that their anger hasn't diminished in the least.'_ I thought glumly _'Oh, well...at least I have kind, understanding friends who will always forgive-'_

"Hurry up, Sockhead! So we can all get your stupid punishment over with already!" Eddy shouted as he walked toward the starting point, causing me to sigh in exasperation.

* * *

 _'Thank goodness, that's over!'_ I thought as I struggled to catch my breath.

"Alright, class dismissed!" announced our gym teacher.

Everyone began to exit the gym, some students grumbled complaints about the punishment, while others expressed their relief that it was over. I scratched the back of my neck, nervously.

 _'Perhaps, I should apologize to everyone during lunch. After all, this unpleasant experience was caused by my...disrespectful behavior earlier.'_ I thought

I started walking toward the exit, with my two companions by my side. Eddy was speaking of plans for our next scam, with excitement in his voice. Just as we reached the door, the teacher appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and he blocked the exit. I jumped a bit, as I was startled by his sudden appearance. Eddy paused in his explanation of his latest 'brilliant idea' to look at me in confusion before turning to face the source of my sudden fearful motion standing in front of us. Seeing our instructor, Eddy rolled his eyes and groaned in annoyance. Even Ed seemed bothered by our instructor's sudden appearance. His usual jovial smile was replaced by a frown, and if I hadn't known any better, I'd say I saw a shimmer of caution in his eyes.

"You-" The instructor poked me in the chest for the third time today to illustrate his point "...must stay here and finish your laps! The punishment was to run fifteen laps, but you only ran five, maggot!"

"Oh, come on!" Eddy groaned "We've got scamming to do. Can't Sockhead do this after school, or something?"

"No! He has to stay after class and finish those laps, now!"

"But Mr. Gym teacher," Ed whined "It's lunch time! If Double D stays here, he'll miss 'Mashed potatoes and gravy day'!"

"I'm afraid I have to agree with my comrades, and argue with you, sir." I began as I regained the courage to gaze up at my teacher, albeit nervously "If I stay here now, it is likely that I'll miss the entire lunch period. And, it is essential to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day in order to maintain..." I began to hesitate in my speech as apprehension took over me, as my teacher began to glare at me with infuriation in his eyes. "a h-healthy..." More glaring, and he began to clench his fists in anger. "...lifestyle...?" I finished, my voice reduced to a mere squeak by that point, and my speech becoming transformed from a strong argument into something resembling a question of whether or not I actually had permission to argue.

" _Eddward..._ " He growled in a low, threatening voice, causing my friends and I to gulp in unison at the sound of our shared name. "You are to stay here. In this class. During lunch. AND THAT IS FINAL!" He yelled, causing me to shiver in fear.

"B-but teach," Eddy stammered, somewhat desperately, "...think of the scams!"

"Think of the gravy!" Ed added.

I rapidly looked back and forth between the two of them, gaping in shock. Had they lost their minds?! They were poking a bear with a stick, here! The instructor was angry enough already. The last thing he needed was for us to annoy him further. I slowly, cautiously, looked back to the teacher, and my worries were confirmed.

He was furious.

But the next thing he did was something that none of us were expecting.

He walked away.

I stood dumbfounded. What just happened? I looked to my friends to gauge their reactions. They looked as shocked as I felt. There expressions slowly transformed into relieved smiles, though. I suspected they assumed that the teacher's sudden unexpected behavior was our signal to leave for lunch without worrying about his previous wrath, but I was suspicious that there was more to the instructor's behavior than that. I watched as he went to stand in the spot where we all stood when we initially began the fifteen laps, then I began to understand. So, I was not at all surprised when our instructor screeched my name again, in a voice filled with fury.

"EDDWARD!" My friends faltered "If you're not over here in twenty seconds, ready to start your laps by the time I'm done counting, you'll be suspended, maggot! ONE...TWO..!"

"I suppose I'll see you two later," I sighed.

"Aww come on!" Eddy whispered harshly "He's not even blocking the exit anymore. Can't we just make a break for it?"

"No," I said firmly "I refuse to get myself into even more trouble. I am staying here, and I will see you two after lunch." Eddy groaned but didn't argue any further.

"Fine..." he muttered in annoyance "But I'm telling ya', this guy's got some kinda weird grudge against ya'. He's just gonna give you hell while you're in here. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Sorry you have to miss the gravy, Double D..." Ed muttered, glumly

They then exited the room. I found myself questioning Eddy's constant accusations of the teacher's so-called 'grudge'. That is, until my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his loud, still-counting voice.

"FIFTEEN...SIXTEEN...!"

 _'Oh dear! I only have four seconds to-!'_ I didn't even allow myself to complete that thought, as all of my focus soon went on running as fast as my legs would carry me to reach the other end of the gym room in time.

* * *

"That's ten, maggot!"

 _'Finally!'_ I thought as I stopped running and fell to my knees, desperately inhaling large gusts of air to regain a normal breathing cycle. My teacher walked toward me, stopping in front of me.

"Geez, you can't even handle a measly ten laps? How pathetic!" He barked.

"I apologize for my behavior earlier, sir." I stood up as my breathing reverted back to normal. "It was truly reprehensible." I lowered my head in shame.

"Reprehensible?" he muttered in confusion. "You think knowing some fancy words and faking an apology is enough to make up for being lazy?!" He yelled

"N-No sir! I-!"

"That advanced little vocabulary of yours may win over the other teachers, but it ain't gonna win me over, maggot!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir" my voice quivered as I gazed up at my instructor's scowling face. I noticed the exit doors behind him and my eyes focused on the sight as I thought of sanctuary. "Perhaps, I should get going-" I began to walk toward the exit to avoid the source of my fear, when he stopped me by grabbing me by my hat and pulling me back in his direction.

"Not so fast!" He barked, releasing my hat. "I wasn't done! Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you!" My gaze lowered to the ground as my eyebrows furrowed fearfully.

"M-My apologies-" I mumbled

"And quit mumbling! Speak up, maggot!"

"I apologize-"My teacher gripped my chin tightly and forcefully pulled my head upwards.

"And look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"I-I-!"

"And quit interrupting me! Keep your mouth shut!" his teeth grit as his eyes narrowed in fury. He delivered a cold, harsh glare, as he looked me in the eyes. I gulped and began to shiver fearfully. My gym instructor grinned maliciously at the sight of my fear before releasing his grip from my face.

 _'Why is he smiling? Why does my fear please him?'_ I thought as my eyebrow furrowed in confusion. My mind suddenly flashed back to something Eddy had said earlier.

 _"That guy's got some kinda weird grudge against you. It's creepy."_

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. _'There's no way!'_ I thought _'It's ridiculous for Eddy to assume-'_

"Did you just roll your eyes at me, maggot!" My eyes widened in shock as I realized my fatal mistake.

"N-No! Sir, you see I was thinking of something my friend said earlier and-"

"A likely story!" My teacher slowly began to walk toward me, piercing me with an intimidating glare. I began to back away instinctively as he approached. " _You are always disrespecting me..._ " He growled dangerously. "Not participating...Interrupting me..." I gulped as I noticed him clenching his fists. "Rolling your eyes and using those big, fancy words all the time as if you think you're better than me. You think you're better than everybody!" My back hit a wall, and I couldn't back away anymore. My teacher came face to face with me.

"I-I assure you, sir, using a l-large vocabulary is s-simply how I feel most comfortable speaking. I-I never meant to patronize you!"

"You're doing it again! Using words like 'patronize' to try to seem smart! But guess what!" he grabbed my shirt, threateningly. "It doesn't matter how smart you are because you're weak!" He poked me in the chest. Hard. "And lazy! And because of that, I want you to give me ten more laps around the gym!" My eyes widened.

"B-but sir-!"

"No buts! You give me ten more laps or you'll be suspended!"

Just then, the lunch bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

"B-but sir, my next class begins in five minutes! May I please finish my punishment after school? I don't want to miss-"

"Ya' see that's your problem! You care more about your other classes than this one! You think just because you're this hot-shot straight-A student that you can be lazy when it comes to gym!"

"S-Sir I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding between us."

"I don't care what you think or what other classes you have next! You give me ten laps right now or you'll be suspended, and I'll fail you for not participating enough in this class!"

I quickly scurried over to the starting point to run my laps. At the notion of failing a class and being suspended, I began to panic. I placed a hand on my chest as I felt myself beginning to hyperventilate. I used my other hand to hold my head as I began to feel dizzy.

"S-Sir," I struggled to speak through my heavy breathing. "I think... I might need... to see the nurse."

"Less talking, more running!" The instructor blew the whistle, and I began to run. "It's always excuses with you! Students like you, who complain about being tired or say they have a medical condition and can't participate, will always be lazy and weak! I don't care about your little medical problems or the fact that you have a big vocabulary! You still have to do the work just like everyone else! And if I have to make you do extra work to show you I mean business, then so be it! I swear, students like you make me _sick!_ "

I hadn't realized that the instructor held so much _contempt_ for me. As I gazed at my instructor's scowling face and noticed it had turned red from anger, his harsh words began to sink in. I had never before in my life thought of a teacher as a possible antagonist; but as I ran desperately while my teacher glared at me, coldly, I began to think that Eddy may have had a point earlier.

Suddenly, I heard the doors of the gym slam open, and I saw Eddy and Ed standing at the entrance. Ed's brow furrowed worriedly, and Eddy scowled impatiently.

"There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you! I can't believe you're still here!" Eddy then turned to face our gym instructor. "Why the heck is he still here?! Did you trap him here or something?!" Our teacher faced my comrades with a pointed glare.

"He needs to stay here and pay for his disrespectful attitude!" he barked menacingly, but Eddy seemed undeterred.

"He needs to get out of here! We're gonna be late for-!" Eddy's voice was interrupted as the bell rang signaling the start of class.

"Ya' see!" Eddy groaned "Now look what ya' did! We're gonna be late!"

"Not my problem maggot! You think I like having to spend my free period dealing with lazy students?!" The teacher yelled.

"Yeah, I do!" Eddy yelled just as loud. "You've got some sort of sick, twisted grudge against my pal!"

As the two continued to argue, Ed adopted a worried expression as he looked back and forth between the two. All the while, I continued to run. My breathing began to worsen, and I felt myself getting dizzy. The shouting voices filling the room began to sound like distant echoes as my vision began to blur. I ran until I suddenly felt myself collapsing, hitting the ground hard.

 _As the sound of a 'thud!' from my fall echoed throughout the room, I noticed two blurry figures running toward me. The last thing I heard was the sound of my friends shouting my name before everything went black._

* * *

 _"I can't believe that asshole! He worked him half to death!"_

 _"Is Double D gonna be okay, Eddy?"_

 _"Of course! I mean...He's gotta be okay..."_

 _"Please, be okay, Double D!"_

 _"Stop it, Ed! ...You're freaking me out!"_

 _The voices began to fade away slowly in the darkness..._

 _"He's not breathing! Shit! What do we do?!"_

 _I struggled to interpret the sounds around me._

 _"BREATHE, DOUBLE D!" Sobbing._

 _"Ed, get the nurse! Hurry!" Running footsteps._

 _"C'mon Double D! Breathe!" The voices turned into distant echoes._

 _"DOUBLE D!"_

 _Silence._

* * *

I could hear voices again, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. They sounded so far away. So _distant._ But they felt so comforting. So _familiar._ I focused on trying to hear them. I wanted to know what they were saying. They slowly began to sound clear.

I could only hear them.

I wanted to see them.

I slowly opened my eyes. I winced as a bright white light hurt my vision a bit for a moment. Everything was blurry.

"He's waking up!" Ed shouted in relief.

"Y-Yeah, ya' see? I told you he'd be okay!" Eddy's voice seemed shaky.

Wait.

Ed! Eddy!

My vision finally came into focus. I saw Ed on the left of me and Eddy on the right. I sat up slowly and realized that I had been lying in a bed. I looked around and my eyes took in the familiar sight of the school nurse's office. I focused my gaze on my best friends, who stared back at me in concern. I opened my mouth to speak to them, when I finally noticed something covering my mouth. An aerosol mask. I heard the hum of a machine nearby and looked to side of the bed. I noticed the nebulizer machine connected to the mask. My eyes widened.

I began to realize what was happening.

I moved the mask down away from my mouth, so I could speak. "Did I-?"

"Ah, ah, ah." Ed waggled his finger back and forth. "You have to keep that on, mister. Nurse's orders." He placed the mask back over my face as he spoke.

"The nurse said you had an asthma attack," Eddy began, "Whatever that means."

"We were so worried, Double D!" Ed wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug.

"Whoa, easy there, Lumpy." Eddy began "Be careful, the nurse said his lungs might still be feeling sensitive." Ed released me.

"Ah, I see you've awoken, Eddward." Our attention was refocused as the school nurse entered the room, a tray of food in her hands.

"Your friends have informed me that you missed lunch, so I thought I'd bring you something to eat." She handed me the tray. "Your breathing seems to have normalized for the most part, so you may remove your mask to eat. Just be sure to put it back on immediately if you feel yourself having trouble breathing. I'll be back in a few minutes to check up on you." I lowered my mask.

"Thank you, miss." I smiled tiredly. I waited until the nurse left before speaking again. "I can't believe I had an asthma attack. I haven't had one in years!" I exclaimed, voicing my surprise.

"Wait. You mean this happened to you before?!" Eddy exclaimed in shock. I sighed as I mentally prepared myself to give an explanation of a traumatic experience.

"Yes. It happened when I was very young. It was before I moved to Peach Creek. I had been in school playing a game of dodge ball when it happened..." I stared off into the distance as I envisioned the memory. "I had been hit so hard by a ball that I had fallen to the ground in pain, but all the other students pointed and laughed at me. I was so humiliated that I ran out of the gym room and down the school halls as fast as I could. As I was running, I felt out-of-breath; but I kept going. I couldn't breathe, but I kept running anyway. I just wanted to get as far away from everyone as possible. I didn't stop running until my vision began to fade, and I fell unconscious. When I woke up, I was in a hospital-" I looked to the side and gestured toward the nebulizer machine nearby "Hooked up to a machine like this one to help stabilize my breathing."

"Just like now." Eddy's voice was almost a whisper. I was a bit surprised at how quiet he and Ed were being as they focused their attention on me while I spoke.

"Are asthma attacks caused by dodgeball?" I smiled lightly at Ed's innocent question.

"No, Ed. They happen to people who are born with a medical condition known as asthma. And they can be caused by several things: stress, allergies, cold weather, and too much physical exercise. You see, asthma can be found in individuals born with weaker lungs, who are prone to having difficulty breathing."

"So, it probably happened when the gym coach made you run all those laps." Eddy grimaced as he looked to the ground. "I can't believe that _asshole_ almost got you killed!"

"It's alright, Eddy" I tried to appease him. "I'm fine!"

"No it's not! It's _not_ alright!" I flinched as he shouted angrily. "That idiot put you in the nurse's office all because of some stupid grudge he's got against you! I'm so glad that idiot's getting fired!" My eyes widened in surprise.

"Fired?!" I exclaimed

"Oh yeah," Eddy began to smile a bit. "I almost forgot to tell you! When your parents found out that you passed out from running laps, they came to the school and started screaming at the gym teacher. It was hilarious! Your dad was cursing him out! I've never seen your folks so get so mad!"

"Your dad's dark side was showing, Double D," Ed shuddered at the memory.

"And then the principal started yelling at him too! It was amazing!" Eddy laughed.

"Oh, dear..." I paled "I'll admit that our gym instructor may not be nice, but I never meant to cause someone to lose their job."

"Aw, put a sock in it!" Eddy waved a hand dismissively. "It wasn't your fault! That jerk did it to himself!"

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Ed opened it to reveal most of our classmates and fellow Cul-de-sac residents.

"Hey Double D," Nazz began "We were all worried when we heard about what happened, so we wanted to make sure that you were okay," she smiled politely.

"Yeah, Double Dor-ow!" Nazz elbowed Kevin "I mean...Double D, we're uhh...sorry for getting so mad at you earlier..." he said hesitantly, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Yeah! Plank and I feel real lousy for being mean."

"Rolf feels deep sorrow for the Head-in-Sock Ed-boy." Rolf pulled a giant fish from behind his back. "Perhaps, Rolf can offer this fish of repentance to the Ed-boy to show his sorrow and to wish him luck on his recovery!" Rolf handed me the fish.

"Umm...thank you, Rolf." I smiled nervously as I stared at the strange gift.

"Man..." Kevin began "I always knew that coach didn't like you but..." He glared off into the distance. "I can't believe he got you sent here."

"Wait, you _knew?!_ " I exclaimed in surprise.

"Well, yeah... During football practice, I hear him say some pretty messed up stuff about you."

"Plus he's always making you do more work than everyone else," Nazz added.

"Plank says that guy's a total jerk," Johnny commented.

"Look," Kevin began "We all knew he was hard on you, but it's not like any of us could've done anything about it! I mean, he's a teacher, and we're students! He'd just be harder on all of us!"

"Wow." I uttered. "You were right, Eddy. He hated me all of this time." I looked down dejectedly. What Eddy did next surprised me. He put a hand on my shoulder as he spoke.

"Look, that doesn't matter now. Ed and I are just glad you're okay," he spoke gently.

...What?

I was expecting an 'I told you so' or something of the sort. Did Eddy just pass up an opportunity to gloat about being right to comfort me and show concern instead? I realized that I had been quietly staring at him blankly for a bit too long, as his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"You _are_ okay... _right?_ "

"Uhm-Y-Yes!" I coughed a bit. At the sight of my coughing, Ed's eyes widened in panic.

"Put on your mask!" he ordered, placing the mask over my face again.

"Is Double D okay?" Nazz asked, worriedly.

"I-I dunno!" Eddy panicked "The nurse said that coughing is a bad sign," he turned to face me "Double D! Can you breathe?!"

I turned toward Ed and Eddy my eyes widened in surprise, and I smiled appreciatively as I noticed their concerned expressions. I put the mask back down before answering.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you both for helping me." Eddy and Ed sighed in relief. I turned to face the rest of our peers. "And thank you all for visiting me." They returned my smile with smiles of their own.

"Though, I do wonder why my parents have visited yet..." I mumbled glumly.

"Oh yeah!" Kevin grinned "Your folks are still cursing at the gym teacher! They're with the principal screaming at that douchebag in the hallway. Everyone saw it!"

"Oh my..." I uttered in shock.

"Plank says it serves that guy right! He was always yelling at Double D in front of everyone, and now the principal's yelling at him in front of everyone!"

"Don't forget Double D's parents. Who would've thought that the quiet dork would have loud parents?" Kevin smirked. I blushed in embarrassment. "Let's go check it out!" The others left, wishing me a quick recovery. Soon, only Ed, Eddy, and I were left in the room. We rested in a comfortable silence as I began to eat the food that the nurse had given me. When I finished eating, I placed the empty tray on a dresser near the nebulizer machine.

"Alright, Sockhead," Eddy began "Now that you're done eating you really should put your mask back on." Eddy ordered. I placed the mask back over my mouth and took a gentle deep breath.

"Let us know if you need anything Double D. We'll get you water, or gravy, or buttered toast..." Ed trailed off as he drooled at the mention of gravy and buttered toast.

"And while you're stuck here, I might as well tell you about my latest scam idea. Ya' know, since you can't talk with the mask on and all. So, you just sit back, relax, and listen." Eddy noticed Ed drooling while staring into space while a smile, and his eyebrows furrowed, impatiently.

"Hey!" he snapped his fingers in front of Ed's face "Pay attention so I can tell you guys about the scam!"

"Mmm...Gravy..." Ed muttered, still not paying attention. Eddy groaned in annoyance.

I giggled at their interaction. Everything was back to normal. I could breathe easy knowing that the aggressive gym instructor would be fired. I could breathe normally thanks to the aid of the nebulizer machine.

And more than anything else, knowing that I had such great friends by my side made it easy for me the breathe.


End file.
